DeFrancesco family pride, celebration erupt at Citi Field

NEW YORK — Anthony DeFrancesco II was back at Shea Stadium, and it doesn’t even matter that the place was torn down in 2009.

New Yorkers call the new home of the Mets that, and DeFrancesco is decidedly a New Yorker.

So, too, is his son Anthony DeFrancesco III, better known around baseball as Tony DeFrancesco or just “Tony D.” for short.

Tony was born in the Bronx and raised in nearby Suffern, N.Y., and father and son are straight out of central casting.

Anyway, the two of them had been here together before when Anthony used to drive Tony around to various tryouts in pursuit of a major league dream that took several detours before he landed the Astros interim managerial job a week ago.

Friday, as the cast of Tony’s “This is Your Life” sketch gathered behind the plate at Citi Field for batting practice, section 121 for the game, and the visitors’ clubhouse as the late-night hours passed in celebration, Anthony wasn’t the loudest in the group. He couldn’t be.

Anthony doesn’t want to talk much about his health, which he describes as just “no good.” He’s confined to a wheelchair as a circulatory-system ailment eats away at his stamina; he only gets up when the moment catches him — and from time to time it did.

He’s not the loudest in the group, so from time to time, his wife RoseAnn chimes in with enough vigor to make up for both of them.

“We’re very blessed,” RoseAnn said, sure not to take away from Tony’s sister Maria, doing the family proud as a teacher.

Vocal support

He’s not the loudest in the group, but it would be hard to say he wasn’t the proudest, or at least in a virtual tie with the dozens of family members who came out to celebrate DeFrancesco’s ascent to the managerial chair and get a surprise Friday night as the Astros beat the Mets 3-1.

Anthony tries to play off the emotion of the day the call came by blaming his wife.

The call came at 6:30 a.m. as Tony waited in the Austin airport for the final steps of a decades-long journey, just a short flight to Houston after all the minor league games when plane travel was a distant luxury.

“He said, ‘I’m at the airport, I’m going to Houston,’ ” Anthony said. “I said ‘why are you going to Houston?’ ”

Then the answer they’d been waiting for.

“That’s when she started to cry,” Anthony said.

OK, that’s not the whole story.

“I was crying, too; it was very emotional,” Anthony said. “I waited for a long time for him to get to the majors when he was with Oakland and now. … It’s a long time, a lot of hard work.”

Tony DeFrancesco wasn’t sure the moment was ever going to come with the Athletics, who called him up to be a big league third-base coach but ultimately saw him as an adviser in the minor league system trying to groom younger managers among other things.

So the family was supportive when Ed Wade and Fred Nelson provided the opportunity with the Astros to manage in Class AAA again where he had six years of success with Sacramento in the Oakland farm system.

When the final out was made in the Astros’ 3-1 victory over the Mets on Friday, DeFrancesco’s first win in five tries, he collected the spoils — he walked away with a lineup card and game ball to go with the lingering scent of a champagne bath — and then looked up to section 121.

Proud father

While the women of the family were standing and screaming, a proud father was sitting and clapping.

“When you see your family that you grew up with over the years behind home plate before the game, it’s pretty emotional,” said Tony, 49. “They’ve been rooting for me since I was this little, through high school. They’ve been at all my sporting events — football, basketball, baseball — and now they’re in their 70s. We’re talking about almost 50 years.

“It was a good celebration. A lot of champagne, a lot of celebration and a lot of tears, too.”

Nobody’s denying the tears now.

The definition of “family” is a little blurry in the DeFrancesco family.

For instance, there’s Peter Mancini, who was DeFrancesco’s teammate and roommate at Seton Hall, a second baseman while DeFrancesco was a catcher.

He calls Anthony “Dad” and talks about the college days like he was playing with his twin brother.

“The reason he got a little further than me in baseball is that when we would do BP, he would never throw a strike,” Mancini said. “And I threw the ball right there all the time.”

Champagne toast

After the game, the family close and far piled into the clubhouse for a victory toast in the manager’s office.

Paper cups were raised in the makeshift celebration that continued with photos long after the players had departed.

That’s one, Anthony DeFrancesco told his drenched and contented son in the room afterward.

Astros players line the dugout rail, watching their team in the ninth inning.

Astros players line the dugout rail, watching their team in the ninth inning.

Photo: Paul Bereswill / Associated Press

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New York's Justin Turner runs the bases after hitting a home run in the sixth inning.

New York's Justin Turner runs the bases after hitting a home run in the sixth inning.

Photo: Paul Bereswill / Associated Press

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Jose Altuve slams his bat after flying out in the eighth inning.

Jose Altuve slams his bat after flying out in the eighth inning.

Photo: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

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New York's Justin Turner celebrates his sixth-inning home run.

New York's Justin Turner celebrates his sixth-inning home run.

Photo: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

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Astros interim manager Tony DeFrancesco gives signals from the dugout with his team batting in the seventh inning.

Astros interim manager Tony DeFrancesco gives signals from the dugout with his team batting in the seventh inning.

Photo: Paul Bereswill / Associated Press

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New York's Justin Turner connects on a sixth-inning home run.

New York's Justin Turner connects on a sixth-inning home run.

Photo: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

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The New York Mets play the Astros before a sparse crowd in the first inning.

The New York Mets play the Astros before a sparse crowd in the first inning.

Photo: Paul Bereswill / Associated Press

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Scott Moore slides into third base safely as he advanced on a single by Tyler Greene as Mets third baseman David Wright awaits the late throw in the seventh inning.

Scott Moore slides into third base safely as he advanced on a single by Tyler Greene as Mets third baseman David Wright awaits the late throw in the seventh inning.

Photo: Paul Bereswill / Associated Press

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Astros pitcher Fernando Abad (58) is knocked over by catcher Jason Castro as they attempted to catch a slow grounder hit by New York's R.A. Dickey, who was safe at first base on a hit that drove in a run in the fourth inning. less

Astros pitcher Fernando Abad (58) is knocked over by catcher Jason Castro as they attempted to catch a slow grounder hit by New York's R.A. Dickey, who was safe at first base on a hit that drove in a run in ... more

Photo: Paul Bereswill / Associated Press

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Astros pitcher Fernando Abad (58) throws too late to first base as he was knocked over by catcher Jason Castro as they attempted to field a slow grounder hit by New York's R.A. Dickey, who was safe at first base on the play in the fourth inning. less

Astros pitcher Fernando Abad (58) throws too late to first base as he was knocked over by catcher Jason Castro as they attempted to field a slow grounder hit by New York's R.A. Dickey, who was safe at first ... more

Photo: Paul Bereswill / Associated Press

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Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey celebrates after his infield turns a double play to end the top of the fifth inning.

Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey celebrates after his infield turns a double play to end the top of the fifth inning.

Photo: Paul Bereswill / Associated Press

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Astros pitcher Fernando Abad throws to a Mets batter in the second inning.

Astros pitcher Fernando Abad throws to a Mets batter in the second inning.